A Hazardous Trade
In the Philippines, Practicing Journalism Can Kill You

In Albay, a popular radio broadcaster was gunned down last April 28, several weeks after he ignored an “invitation” from the military. In Pagadian City, the killer ― a policeman ― of a newspaper editor/broadcaster remains at large despite positive identification by witnesses. And just a few days ago, two journalists in Cagayan de Oro City were arrested and spent several hours behind bars because of a libel case filed by the mayor and apparent shortcuts in court proceedings. 

BY ROWENA CARRANZA
Bulatlat.com

May 3 was World Press Freedom Day. Many individuals and groups, including international media groups, describe the Philippine press as among “freest” in Asia, giving the impression that the country is some sort of a reporters’ paradise. The truth is, to practice journalism here is to usually receive starvation pay, be exploited with a five-story daily quota, face constant pressure from powers-that-be (local or national level or both), and, worst, suffer harassment, if not actually get killed.

Not the best place to be a journalist

A study by Communication Arts graduates of Miriam College shows that from 1986 (the year the Marcos dictatorship was toppled and democracy formally returned in the country) to 2002, a total of 69 journalists were killed. Two more have been killed since the study was made, bringing the total to 71.

Of the 69, the slaying of 39 journalists was categorized as job-related, 22 with unknown motives, and eight as non-work related.  Twenty-nine of the killings took place in Mindanao, which the Reporters San Frontiers, an international media monitoring group, called one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist.

Thirty-nine percent of the victims were reporters, correspondents or broadcasters; 22 percent editors and publishers; 18 percent commentators; the rest were columnists, photojournalists and media workers.

Ninety-two percent of the cases remain unsolved to this day. Only three cases saw the killers being convicted.

In its 2003 annual report, the Reporters Sans Frontiers noted that in 2002, three journalists were murdered and at least three others kidnapped. It reported that Muslim rebels and the criminal gang Abu Sayyaf have held at least 27 reporters hostage since 2000.

Thus, it said, “The Philippines, and in particular Mindanao island, remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists.”

Most recent case

The most recent case of killing occurred in Albay, a province south of Manila and eight hours away by bus. Broadcaster Jun Villanueva Jr., 54, was coming home from work and was only 200 meters away from his house when two unidentified men shot him several times. He sustained 11 gunshot wounds that damaged many of his internal organs and ended his life.

Villanueva was known as “Mr. Public Service” and had been a journalist for more than 20 years. He was instrumental in the negotiations for release of a New People’s Army (NPA) captive two years ago. At the time of his death, he was working at the DZGB-AM, a local radio station in Legaspi City.

Villanueva read in his program earlier an invitation from the 22^nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army based in Ligao City to report to its headquarters. Villanueva ignored the invitation.

Shameful impunity

The murder of Edgar Damalerio of Pagadian City on May 13, 2002 is an example of how the killers, coddled by government and military officials, enjoy shameful impunity.

Two unidentified men fired at Damalerio, 33, at point blank range, killing him instantly. The killers escape and the police who came to the murder scene cleaned up the place without taking any photos and allegedly pressured the forensic surgeon not to carry out a post mortem.

Apparently to appease the indignant media and public, the police arrested a local gangster and charged him with the journalist’s murder.

Two witnesses however pointed at a police officer, Guillermo Wapili, a subordinate of the Pagadian police chief, Asuri Hawani, who had been a frequent recipient of Damalerio’s criticisms.

The main witness to the killing was later murdered while two other witnesses fear for their lives. The wife of one of them was also the target of an unsuccessful kidnapping.

Filing libel cases to exact revenge

In the hands of vengeful and corrupt officials, the libel law has also become a weapon against press freedom.

In Cagayan de Oro, two journalists were arrested and detained on May 7 in connection with a libel suit filed by Mayor Jennifer Tan of Tangub City.

Herbie Gomez, Gold Star Daily editor, Manila Times correspondent and Bulatlat.com contibutor, together with Joey Nacalaban of Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro earned the ire of Tan after they published an article criticizing local government officials who went on an all-expense paid trip to Germany courtesy of a company that has a controversial power project in Misamis Oriental.

Gold Star Daily publisher Ernesto Chu however said that the controversial story never stated that Tan was part of the delegation to Germany.

Journalists in Mindanao condemned the incident, calling it “a classic case of harassment and repression of the media.”

The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP)-Davao City chapter expressed alarm not only over the detention of two journalists but over the libel cases being filed with seeming impunity against members of the Cagayan de Oro media.

Another journalist in the province, Jonas Bustamante of DxCO, is facing 52 counts of libel filed by acting city police director Antonio Montalba and his men. According to Cagayan de Oro Mayor Vicente Emano, “It is only right to discipline broadcasters who won’t watch their mouths.”

NUJP-Davao said the filing of libel cases was meant to “instill fear in the hearts of journalists so that they won’t be able to perform their duty to report and criticize official actions.”

“How can a law that puts journalists behind bars serve the interest of press freedom, let alone the public?”

Another way of killing press freedom

Aside from the killing of journalists, there are other threats to freedom of the press. There are for example several pending anti-terror bills in the House and Senate. These bills have provisions that violate the Bill of Rights, which mandates that “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press…” and that the “right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized.”

The bills contain dangerous provisions that will doubtless have chilling effects on press freedom if passed into law. They include the provisions authorizing government agencies to intercept communications; prohibiting the communication of a report on terrorism cases to any person or the media; and imposing a penalty of not less than P500,000 for reporting of false information. The Senate bill also defines a terrorist act as one “causing or attempting or threatening to cause destruction” – a definition that the police or courts can apply to almost any form of public expression. Bulatlat.com

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